Witch
by LostInTheDreams
Summary: To everything there are two sides: A dark and a light, a right and a wrong, cruel and kind. I've come across my share of those who fear me, even among other witches. Negative emotions from a group of locals turn into a potentially dangerous situation. Is there a way to protect the ones I care about from such violence? Magic has many different facets – I take them all. I am a Witch.


Random one-shot because I felt like I should write this for some reason. Takes place some time after Spellbound (book 6)

 **Witch**

There were some strict rules when it came to magic. The first one was easy and was a rule that everyone should live by, as far as us humans are concerned. We should never kill. The technical term I would use would be murder, since I hardly classify animals and their need to survive, as well as our own need to feed ourselves off of animals, as acts of murder. I do understand the fine line and those that would argue with me, but it's not often that line need to be examined in greater detail.

The second was that we interfere with normal humans as minimally as possible. This rule was put in place long ago and for obvious reasons. Normal humans were not able to protect themselves against magic. We were _not_ out to make ourselves their superiors. There were too few of us to do that and, even if we could, that is not how our beliefs work. We are the same as them, if not with power and the duty to do what was right with it.

As a member of the International Council of Witches who had to enforce these laws and as a witch myself in a new area that I've never been before, the small town of Widows Vale had never really struck me as a place where I would need to debate my stance on those laws.

Cal had been gone a few weeks now. I wasn't left with much to do besides try and break into his house every now and then and, when I got tired, return home. I had found my car again not too long ago, which afforded me some time to drive around and see if I couldn't pick up any trace of them in the area. I couldn't, but Morgan seemed really worried so I would try. It was my job.

Whenever I was tired from a long day or had no leads to follow, I would walk around the woods surrounding the small place that Sky and I called home here. It wasn't much of anything but it was standing and it provided all the necessities, along with being clutter-free and a great place to draw magical energy for our circles from.

I was pretty far away from those welcoming steps as twilight drew near, the lush forest surrounding a few of the homes like our having thinned out in this area to show off a field and the small river that joined the one behind our place.

I had been continuing on my walk, passed a few boys that looked like they might be in high school, but had to stop when I noticed more than a few of their eyes on me.

"Witch," one of the teenagers snarled at me, a boy slightly younger than me with sandy hair and glasses. He left his friends and came over to meet me near the road. He bent down before he was beside me, picking up a handful of the forest dirt. I closed my eyes and turned aside when he threw it at me, most of it getting my clothes. I blinked my eyes back open and started at him with as much of a neutral expression as I could, wondering what they were doing here and what that was about. Clearly part of it was me being a witch but I hadn't wronged anyone here and not many outside our circle even knew who I was.

"I am," I spoke clearly. I was not ashamed of the fact that I was a witch. While I wouldn't flaunt my powers I would not deny them either. On a normal occasion, maybe I would have lied. Maybe I would have made the group of teens around me think that they'd been mistaken and send them on their way. I should have done that, but I'd called Morgan not too long ago and she still sounded so upset about Cal and everything that had happened last month. To her, a lot of her birthright was filled with pain. I couldn't say mine wasn't either. Maybe, in some stupid, defiant way, I was trying to show her that being a witch wasn't a bad thing they way the idiot before me had intoned. Yes, stupid. She wasn't even here.

"You know, my girlfriend is afraid to go to school. She says you're screwing with a bunch of kids there and she doesn't want to get on the wrong side of your gang. Messing with the people in this town is the wrong thing to do. You want followers, go get them somewhere else." A member of the group stepped towards me and his dirt throwing friend, slightly larger than the other when it came to height, if not bulk. I sized him up as he did me, knowing that neither of us would have much of an advantage on the other, when our body type was near the same. "Go back home."

I couldn't do that. I had obligations here, not to mention I did not want to. "You're complaining about me scaring off your girlfriend, am I right? I'm alone and you brought along a bunch of others to intimidate me to get me to leave, unless it's common to gather this late at night near the woods. Which of us, then, is the one who should really be leaving?"

The other scowled, his fists clenching at his sides. I left my own hands in my pockets, where they had been from the start. It was still chilly out and I wasn't in the mood to freeze myself.

My birthday had been a few weeks ago and that was something to think about. I hardly wanted to get arrested here for starting a fight and being eighteen at the time might get me in more trouble than I would want.

"I'm not going to leave. I have a place here and I was planning on staying a while. All those that I've been speaking to at your school were already in a group. All I did was join them and am now helping them in whatever ways I can. I hardly told any to scare their fellow classmates and I know for a fact that they are good people and would not do anything malicious. Can you tell me what it is that brought you all to the conclusion that either I or they have done something wrong?"

"Shut up! You're going around school telling them you're a witch and my brother has said he's seen you there before, like you're fucking stalking them or something!" Another boy, this one slightly younger and much darker - both in complexion and hair color than his two friends near me, took up a third spot on the left of the boy with the dirty hand. I didn't take a step back but I tensed, ready to fight them if I needed to. I'd rather this get solved with words if I could help it. I was a teacher first and a combatant second.

"I went there once," I answered him back, trying to calm him. "I needed to talk to a few people and it couldn't wait. I have not been there since and I am not stalking anyone."

"Skipped school?" one of the others asked with a snicker.

I shrugged. "I was home-schooled. I was done with my lessons some time ago and this country recognizes my education. I'd hardly want to go to school after I already completed it." It was not as much 'home schooling' as it was simply a small, personalized school that existed in England where all of us that attended had been witches. It had been easier, learning magic at the same time. Here, I wondered how anyone could be a witch and not wind up as confused as Morgan was.

I got a few dark looks, wondering why those that were home-schooled were treated so differently here in the States. It wasn't as if I'd gotten more teaching than they could have gotten or that I'd been coveting my educators. I let out a slow breath, seeing it mist in front of my face. I could always call Sky and tell her to report suspicious activity to the police here, but I didn't think that would solve any of my problems and I didn't want these people to do the same thing to anyone from Kithic. The other members likely hadn't faced hate groups and I wanted to keep it that way.

With no other arguments to make and nothing to say, the advancing group looked from one another as if deciding silently what to do with me. I could hardly fight them, at which point asking for the police would be a good idea, but I could cast a glamour long enough that I should be able to slip away. That was assuming that I had time enough to do it. They hadn't kept much space between them and me and actions would have to be taken quickly.

"What is it you want for me to do?" I asked. I started a few of them when I spoke up first. "I'm not going to leave. I am not doing any harm to any of your friends or family. My friends will not hurt any of yours. I do not want you bothering them any more than you want me bothering yours. I will stay away from the school unless it's an emergency as some compensation, but I have as much of a right to be there as anyone."

"Stop with all this 'witchcraft' bullshit," the taller teen on my right yelled. Though he hadn't stepped up to me first, he seemed the more aggressive of the bunch. "Even the other schools are talking. Hell, it wouldn't surprise me if you start getting some of them bothering you too. This is a small town. You're weird, freaky shit shouldn't be here."

"I'm a Wiccan. I'm not about to change my religion." I raised an eyebrow. "Did this just turn into a hate crime?" _That_ admission I was sure the authorities could do something about and it meant that I wouldn't be getting through to them anyway. Most intolerance groups out there didn't care about other people's beliefs when they were different or out rightly contradicted their own. Logical reasoning was just as lost to them.

One of them snorted as if that idea were stupid. I was not about to admit they had all the right in the world to be scared of me, but that was only if they crossed me and it would take a lot to get me to want to cast magic on those that could not. With Cal having been the only witch in this area that had been around their age, I wasn't sure what damage had already been done here before his death. He very well could have given us all a bad name.

"We can always make you stop." The leader took the two steps that separated us in, close enough to put himself in my face. With my hands in my pockets, I'd be slower protecting myself. I hid that, gathering a bit of energy for protection, not yet muttering the words I would need to help give it shape.

"And if I don't fight you?" I asked. "I'm not looking to. You want to stop fear and violence, if what you say is true. I don't want it to start." It was very hard not to breathe in his face too much with how much he was in my own. There were few here that could match my height though this teen and a few of the others seemed exceptions.

He punched me in the face. I didn't have much time to do anything about it but I drew my hands out of my pockets and found myself holding them in front of myself, fingers closed and staying near my chest. It would do nothing to protect my face but I didn't want to take a fighting pose and rile up the others. I'd been in a fight among those without magic fewer times than I could count with one hand.

He tried to hit me again and found it harder to do this time. I had more space and had my arms at the ready. I easily pushed his arm aside, having to grab the second one, though he simply held onto my shirt and I onto his coat sleeve. With no room to move back he had an easier time hitting me again and I was able to grab his second arm, holding both close to my chest. "Stop it."

"New pretty boy in town trying to pretend he's not doing anything." He kicked me and I grunted, taking a step back to try and not be so close to his feet. With us holding each other I had nowhere to go. "Think you can just pretend you're not trying to convert everyone and scare the school. Hell, they'll step in sooner or later too but right now you're ours."

 _Sky,_ I thought. Then I stopped. This wouldn't help the others and I wasn't sure what would. Wicca was a beautiful, if not painful, thing. Any member of any circle didn't deserve to be attacked for being a Wiccan, if that was indeed what they were trying to do. Letting them go would be wrong but getting others involved would only make them grow angrier. There had to be some middle ground. "I told you we haven't been out to hurt anyone. What is it you really want?" I had hopefully quelled their fears from earlier, but them still being here meant they had another reason, reason enough to start a fight with me.

Someone pulled on my jacket from behind. I couldn't slip out of it, still holding the leader, and found myself falling back when the other used his feet to trip me so his friend could take me to the ground. I braced myself, not getting hurt and making sure to not let go of the first guy. In the position we were now he worked great as a shield while he was on top of me, even if only a partial one.

The other boy stepped on the back of my jacket, keeping me down, and the first didn't struggle to free himself. On the ground and with the others around me, some small part of me wondered what was going on. They'd given me no answers and left me with few to guess at. It still looked like intolerance to me. Some of those around me smiled down at me but did nothing else and I wondered if they were backup if their leader failed to be able to take me on alone.

A few crouched down beside us and, with the guy on top of me, helped pin my arms to my sides. I didn't have much choice but to let them, as the one my stomach was rather heavy and both the other two weren't giving me room to move. _Sky, please call the local police for me_. _I'm fine but I can't get my cell._ I sent the witch message to her, hoping that this confrontation didn't get much more violent. I didn't want to start anything with them but I wasn't about to let them get away. It was now a crime the second the other had hit him.

I took a breath, calming myself. Even with my hands at my side I had access to my magic. The issue was using it against this group. Scaring them with magic would only create more fear. Not protecting myself with magic though would have equally bad consequences.

The one on top of me opened my jacket and I tensed more at the cold than the motion of it. I simply found it hard to be scared of a group of teenage boys who couldn't even give me a reason for them being there. The leader leaned back, grabbing a bottle from someone behind him with a lable I could barely see. It was a clear liquid and the name was outlined boldly in red. Then I had to close my eyes and turn away when they burned badly, feeling the liquid get poured into my hair and then my shirt, more still spilling onto my partly opened coat. I shivered, freezing in the January chill and now wet. It wasn't as bad as the river but this winter looked like it would be trying to give me frostbite.

"Well now, you're a witch, aren't you? Are you going to spell me? Oh no, I'm so afraid." The guy laughed. "Maybe this will show the others how full of shit you are."

I had to wait a few seconds to blink my eyes clear, still feeling it burning. I didn't miss the taste as some of it stayed on my lips. Alcohol? Whatever strange kind of hazing this was, it was new to me. Americans have been hard to understand as it was so it was possible it was simply something I'd never heard of before. I looked back at him, not moving as some of my face was still wet and I didn't want it back in my eyes. "I told you that is not what I'm after." I was growing tired and angry - and now cold - of this game they were playing. Sky's often told me I have a patience that's five times as long as others but I had never agreed with her. I simply liked to observe to make sure I was making the correct decision. Once I had one, patience be damned.

The one on top of me reached into his coat pocket and drew out a matchbox, showing it to me. He took one of the matches out and flaunted it as if he held the answer to all life's questions in his hand. "You stop what you're doing and you leave. Do you hear me? If you don't, we've all heard of how to deal with witches. You burn just fine, don't you?"

My eyes widened, both at what they were planning to do and at the idiocy of the one on top of me who didn't even know the correct history. I looked from the teen on top of me to the others around him. They couldn't be more than my own age, half or so likely even younger than that. This was pushing things awfully far and, for ones so young, I had to imagine more of them were scared of what they were doing than eager. Something tight coiled up inside me, my want to fight for real growing. I mumbled a chant under my breath, moving my left and right hand in a few motions. In seconds I had both those holding me frozen where they were, slowly willing them to ease up on their holds. The one on top of me seemed confused, not knowing I was binding the other two, putting them in my control. It was a bending of one of the laws but when one's life was in danger those rules changed. I didn't let him see that I was freed from them in those few seconds. I could turn them on him with just as little skill, having them hold him back so I could stand, but that seemed over the top and all I wanted to do was stop this. A spark of thought came to me and I smiled.

"What the fuck were just you just saying and what the hell is so funny?" the leader asked, grabbing the front of my wet shirt and unable to pull me up with the other's foot still in my coat. I shrugged as best I could on the floor.

"I'm sorry. I think I misunderstood the purpose of this exercise. For the record, _I_ am the only one with any power. I have not been teaching the others anything more than what your priest would be teaching you. Because we strive for non-violence does _not_ mean I will allow it to exist when I can put an end to it. To those others that are here because you have been afraid, I will not hurt you. No one will hurt you. That is not what we do and if that is what _you_ want to do then I suggest you find a cause you can truly get behind. Hitting someone who is not hitting you back will get you arrested and I'm sure that attempted murder is a close second. You can leave. I will not attack you because of today and neither will anyone else. If your friends do, then they were not really your friends to begin with. Go make sure you're safe and I advise from being a part of something like this again. I will not look away next time."

I noticed a boy take a step back, though I didn't turn to see who they were. They were walking away in seconds and I heard a few more murmur that they had to go, getting yelled at by the few who seemed to be staying. In a few seconds the crowd went from twelve to about five, the two in my binding having no other choice but to stay.

"Cowards," the leader spit out, turning to me. "You can't scare all of us with your witchcraft shit." He struck the match and I watched him closely. "What if I really let this go?"

"Then you would show that you are far worse than the person you took me for." The person who had stood behind me had been one of those that had left and I looked up at the sky. It had gotten so dark in the short time I'd been out here. The stars here were not nearly as bright but I could make out a few constellations still. "Do you want me dead so badly?"

There was a twitch and I couldn't help a small, airy laugh. "You didn't think that would kill me, did you? Do you know how fast that would burn? I'd be lucky if I could get out of my clothes and even then there would be damage enough that I likely would need to be in the hospital for a long time to come. I would like to offer you a way out without making you look bad in front of your friends, but I've offered you everything I can and I don't know what else to say." I lifted my right arm, grabbing the match in my hand. I winced at the heat but knew I'd need to cut off the oxygen before it touched any other part of me. The boy holding it was more than a little surprised and let me take the match from him. I threw it to the side and lay back down. What to do with them now…

I was no good with elemental magic. That was what Morgan did and I'd seen more than enough witches who could throw around pretty, sparkly things that were very attention grabbing. I'd always gone for subtle and that was where my specialty lay. That didn't mean I couldn't show off a little myself. I had to use a few symbols and murmured words to get the effect that some could achieve with less, to shape a little ball of witch fire held out on the tip of my finger. It was energy more than flame and it wouldn't hurt me though visually it looked like I was holding a dark flame wisp before me. "How about I try and burn you instead?"

The kid quickly got off of me and scrambled away while I reclaimed my other arm and stood, looking down at the two who hadn't been able to move. I did not like having to cast magic on others this way and I waved my hand, knowing full well what it felt like on the other end, dismissing the energy and freeing them after I'd released the energy I'd used to create the witch fire. They both took in deep breaths they hadn't been able to take and mimicked their leader in their retreat. "I'm sorry," I apologized to them. "You didn't give me much choice." I fixed my coat, shuddering a little at how absolutely soaked I was from the waist up.

The two boys still standing had been hanging back and were unsure of what had just happened. From the angles they hadn't been able to see me well and I wondered if that had been intentional on their part. I ignored them and the two to my left or right, walking towards the leader and watching him scramble backwards about a meter before I was able to stand before him and offer him my hand. "If you want to have this conversation again I can explain things so they do not scare you so much. I like tea but a good teashop around here is hard to find. I don't mind giving you my number. I may be busy but I'll be sure to make some time for you if you want it. I ask that you do not threaten me again or decide to go after my friends."

"Don't touch me you fucking weirdo!" The teen pushed my hand away, standing on his own and looking like he wanted to hit me again. I let him see none of my hatred in return. I did hate him, make no mistake about that. He had just tried to kill me. I did also understand that his actions were taken because he was scared and confused and likely looking for some kind of outlet for them. It was a stupid decision but an understandable one.

I respected his wishes and didn't touch him, only nodding in acknowledgment. "You've been watching me. You likely know where to find me if you want to talk." I turned my back on him, tense and ready for a fight if he brought another one, but I had a feeling he was done for today. I went to the other two, one standing on his own as I came by and offered my hand to the one still on the ground. He took it and stood beside me, taking his hand back quickly.

" _I'm sorry. I didn't know he was going to do that,_ " he whispered to me quietly. I nodded, not sure if he had intended to share those sentiments with just me.

"I think it's time we all went home. It's getting dark out," I spoke. The flashing lights that lit the field came seconds later and seemed to encourage this. The others all went off in one direction or another and I made sure not to take the path any of the others had, so that I would not scare them, making sure it was away from the road. I wasn't far from home and could easily turn back and walk there.

 _Hunter_.

I stopped, hearing Sky's voice in my head. She sounded worried. Leaning against a tree and trying not to freeze to death I waited as she showed up a few minutes later, dark eyes searching mine as she closed the remaining distance.

"What happened? Why did you need the police? Are you-" She might have been about to say more but she held her nose, waving a hand in front of it instead of denying herself the air. "Oh, Hunter. You smell like a drunk."

I had to laugh. The encounter had left me slightly shaken but I was more worried about the others than I was myself. I could easily handle the group again if they decided to come back. "I didn't put away any of it. I need to wash my clothes when we get back." The leather jacket would be harder but I wasn't planning on smelling like this all my life. I could feel where my hair had gotten stiff and needed washing as well. "And I need a shower." Again. I had showered this morning but I clearly wouldn't be waiting for tomorrow.

Sky sighed, wrinkling her nose as she forced herself to my side and touched my coat, pulling it aside to check my clothes. I let her.

"Take it off and give it to me, the shirt too. No one will see you on the way back and my jacket's too small for you. Hasn't anyone ever told you not to walk around in wet clothes in the cold?"

I shrank back a little, not letting her see the color in my face. I'd rather deal with frostbite than walk back half naked. "I'll be fine. We're only twenty minutes from the house."

"You will not be fine." She pulled on my coat, not letting me go forward without taking it off." I let out a breath, relenting the one article to her. She grabbed my shirt after.

"I said I wasn't-"

"Not that. I know I won't get you to do something you don't want to do." She stepped forward and wiped her fingers against my head, brushing aside some of my bangs. I winced and realized that it had stung. "You're bleeding."

I touched my hand to my own face, feeling a small cut on my cheek. It hurt more when I touched it and my fingers came away sticky with blood. I had nothing in my pockets for that so I just shrugged. "I'll take care of it at home."

We both started back, Sky not asking me for answers and me not giving any. I promised myself I would, only after I took that shower and made sure that I was warm and dry. I had dealt with people like these before. It was common, sadly. Sky hadn't been touched by much other than someone who had claimed to like her turning away from her when they discovered more about her. It was why I think she hated being here. Intolerance was more widespread and came in many more forms, not to mention the fact that we were both far from home and knew almost no one here.

But we were together. I appreciated her presence more than I could give words to and knew she felt the same way. It was hard being a witch in a new place, even harder with the job I was asked to do and harder still with Morgan. I wish I could help her, could understand her. Sometimes all these new things would just overwhelm me though. I let out a breath, watching the wind take it.

The second we walked in the house I took off my shirt, throwing it near the stairs so that I could put it in the wash after. I was washing myself first.

At least, that was my plan. The phone rang and my senses picked up. Morgan.

I saw Sky smile at me, knowing it was Morgan as well. "Should I tell her you'll call her back?"

"No, it's fine." I went over to the phone, answering it up on the third ring after having spent a few seconds deciding if I should take up Sky on her offer. "Hello?"

"Hi." I heard the nervousness through the phone. I could never understand how shy Morgan was. She was beautiful and smart and should be surer of herself.

"Hi," I answered back. "Did you need something?"

"No, not really. I mean, maybe. I don't know. No, I guess. Sorry, I just got this weird feeling that something was wrong. Stupid, right? I called earlier and no one picked up though. I guess I was just worrying for nothing. Sorry if I'm bothering you."

"It's no bother." Had Morgan sensed something from me? I hadn't thought I was worried enough that other witches would be able to pick up on it. Sky hadn't said anything about it and I was sure my witch message was the only reason she had come and been worried about me. "Everything's fine over here. It's getting late. You should get some sleep." I wanted to hit myself in the head for that. I didn't want her to hang up with me. I liked the sound of her voice. What reason could I have to extend the call though?

I heard a half laugh, half argumentative noise on the other end of the line. "Do you even own a clock? It's only eight. Even when I was five I didn't have to go to bed this early."

Right. I hadn't looked at a clock in some time. "I've been distracted. Did you-"

"Yes, Hunter. I've been studying the books you gave me around schoolwork and I will talk to you about them at the next circle." The words were annoyed and tired. I had likely told her the same line a few times over, just to stress how important it was. I wished she could understand that.

Then I felt guilt over that being one of the only things I constantly talked to her about. "Right, do that. I'll… I'll talk to you later. Thank you for calling."

"Thank you for calling?" The mood lightened a bit when she laughed and I felt myself relax, noticing I'd gone tense. "It looks like nothing was even wrong but okay. I'm glad you're both fine. I'll see you Saturday."

"Saturday," I agreed, a smile on my face. "I look forward to it."

There was a something in the air, even over the distance and the phone line. It felt wonderfully powerful and magical in a way nothing else had ever struck me. It was beautiful, in its own, quiet way.

"I do too. Bye Hunter."

"Bye," I spoke quietly, hearing the click and hanging up. I heard Sky snort behind me.

"Should I tell her that you like talking to her shirtless or are you getting in the shower already?"

I blushed and hurried past her, having been distracted completely from the fact that I was covered in alcohol and missing half of my clothes. "I was just going to do that."

Even after she hung up the phone and I spent a few seconds dealing with the cut before running the water for the shower I was able to feel the aftereffects that speaking to Morgan always left me with. It had my reflection smiling stupidly to me in the mirror, the magic we created by simple talking hanging around me like a cloak.

Sometimes I loved being a witch.


End file.
